The University of Connecticut Undergraduate Student Government (USG) began its Husky Hub borrowing program on Monday, allowing students to rent out items they might need in a pinch.
The program’s inventory currently includes a fabric steamer, wagons, car jumper cables, toolkits, sewing kit, portable chargers, small vacuums and car ice scrapers.
Students can go to the desk in the USG lounge in room 218 of the Student Union from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday and request to borrow any of these items. Students have a 48-hour borrowing window and the items must be returned in the same condition they left.
USG President Venice Montanaro pushed to start the program after hearing from students — especially commuters — who don’t have easy access to these items when they need them most.
In just the first week of the program, Montanaro said there have already been a few checkouts, and responses to the program have been positive overall.
“People have liked it,” Montanaro said. “One girl sent me a ‘thank you’ email on how it was really impactful because she needed a toolkit and couldn’t afford to go get one. So I think that is also really nice, especially because you don’t have to commit to buying [the item].”
Along with stocking practical items that almost everyone would need, Montanaro said she also valued making everything small and easy to carry.
“I also wanted everything to be accessible so that it can be in your backpack,” she said. All items also come in their own storage case.
For now, Montanaro said her inventory is “a little bit of everything.” But as the program continues — she hopes for the remainder of the academic year — USG plans to purchase more of the popular, sold-out items so more students have an opportunity to borrow. Montanaro said the organization has already put money aside to purchase more items when necessary.
So far, Montanaro said students have checked out one of almost every item in their inventory, and items have been checked out almost every day during this first week of operation. Montanaro hopes to soon expand the program to include more academic items like noise-cancelling headphones. She is also considering adding umbrellas to the inventory.
Students who have borrowed so far have been good about meeting the return deadlines, Montanaro said.
“I think a good chunk of people returned [the item] way before it was due. They would return it that night or the next morning. I think that was also great to see, because people use [the item] immediately,” she said. “And as long as everyone keeps going and bringing things back in time and keeping everything clean and respectful, we can keep going and make it more expansive. But I think so far for our first week, it’s been going great.”
Montanaro said it’s been nice to see students use the program. She likes that USG has been able to provide students with items they’d need in an emergency for free. She said she’s always open to suggestions on how to expand and improve the program, including on what items students would like to see added. Students with suggestions or other comments and concerns can reach out to Montanaro at president@usg.uconn.edu.